im thinking about buying a telescope for star gazing....any suggestions that won't break my wallet?

Question

want to look at as much as possible. a birthday gift for my husband. thanks!

Answer 1

DO NOT BUY ONE FROM A DEPARTMENT STORE.

The best advice you've received so far is to go with good quality binoculars and Terence Dickinson's "Skywatch", or Geoff's advice to go with a 6 or 8 inch Dobsonian. These look impressive, but are very simple yet "powerful", in that they pull a lot of light in so you can see faint stuff. If you insist on a scope, this is the type.

Get advice from a real telescope shop, a local amateur astronomy club, and involve your hubby.

Answer 2

Hi there, I am a fan of binocular astronomy. A pair of these is really two small telescopes with parallel optical axis. The result there is almost no time wasted setting up to observe and it wont break your wallet. Bino's lend themselves to much more than just stargazing but it's a start. Another benefit is that because the bino's utilize porro prisms or roof prisms (on the expensive ones) the image is upright not inverted as would be the case with an astronomical telescope. Buying the cheapest telescope on the market might prove frustrating since the optics are cheap and the magnification high and the type of mounts these come with are inferior, ie there is a lot of movement in them. The magnification then only amplifies the same. So in the end my vote would be for binoculars, say 7x35 wide angle or if you got a little more to spend 7x50 WA. Cheers and happy stargazing.

Answer 3

Although it might spoil the surprise a little, it's generally a good idea to involve the recipient in the decision making for a gift as personal as a telescope. Half the fun of buying a telescope is in doing research and making decisions!

First off, ignore the folks who advised youy to buy from discount and department stores: the telescopes they sell are almost all complete junk and, when it doesn't work, there's no one in the store to help you sort it out. Buying from a store which specializes in telescopes costs no more, but you're guaranteed of after sales support, plus the scopes they sell aren't junk. Look in the Yellow Pages under "telescopes" or buy online from reputable dealers like Orion, Anacortes, Astronomics, OPT, etc.

While binoculars are often recommended for beginners, they won't show a beginner the detail they hunger for. The secret in a good beginner's telescope is good optics, large enough optics, and a solid mount. Most department store scopes fail on all three grounds! The scopes I recommend for beginners are what are called Dobsonian reflectors, such as these:
http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=9
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106

I've helped hundreds of beginners get started, and these are the scopes that offer the most value for the money.

Answer 4

Used telescopes are available in some places, and if in good condition would do well.

However, if you want a new one, and a "cheap" one, make certain it has a brand name (Celestron, Meade, Orion, to name a few). Many good starter scopes can be found under 300 dollars. Some, maybe, much less. Binoculars are a good buy, too, but few have the capability of even seeing much detail on the moon.

As for TYPE of telescope, I'd recommend a Newtonian reflector (but don't be fooled by claims of high magnification..50 times the size of the mirror in inches is the most you can really get). Again, go for the name brands. In any type of optical purchase you get what you pay for, so get as expensive a model as you can (sounds dumb, but trust me).

Answer 5

I know telescopes make nice gifts, but I think your husband would have better luck stargazing with a pair of binoculars and a good book than with a cheap department store telescope. Those things have rickety mounts and lousy optics. They do a fair job on the Moon and a couple planets (which look mostly like blobs), but they're really difficult to use and they underperform.

If you really have your heart set on a telescope, consider one of the offerings from Edmund Scientific: http://scientificsonline.com/category.asp_Q_c_E_421194_A_Telescopes . You'll find that the more expensive models are worth the extra. If those are all over your budget, the Wal-Mart telescopes are as good as any other, but buyer beware.

Binoculars will give you more to look at, especially if you live under a dark sky. Plus they're easier to use. They're a good stepping-stone to a telescope, and they're a lot less likely to end up in the closet if your husband decides that stargazing is not for him. A good pair of 6x50 binoculars (that means 6x magnification and 50mm front lenses) are perfect for astronomy.

Whether you decide to go with binoculars or a telescope, be sure to check out Sky & Telescopes buying guide for tips: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/howtoequipment

What's really essential is a good book or two to go with the telescope. Nightwatch by Terrence Dickinson is a good option: http://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/1552093026 , as is Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundred-Telescope/dp/0521781906/ref=pd_sim_b_1_img/104-1996226-7675940 . These will help get your husband oriented.

Answer 6

I'm a girl n I'm shy til u get to know me. I'll sit in class quiet n not talk to anyone n wen ppl talk to me I get nervous...... But if ik u n were friends I'm a lot more outgoing .... I just get nervous around newer people n I get scared..... Guys always calls me cute n adorable cuz I'm shy, short, got a nice body, im sweetheart til u piss me off, stuff like that......

Answer 7

you need to buy yourself a copy of Sky & Telescope magazine and glance at the ads

Answer 8

Well if you want a telescope that actually works. I would go between $60-$80 at wal mart or Zellers. Dont go to any fancy stores where it costs double. Also Canadian Tire is a good place.

Answer 9

See site:

http:// www . Telescopes dot com

See site:

http:// www . Handsonoptics dot com

See site:

http:// www . Astromart dot com

Answer 10

go to walmart
dont buy a really fancy one. go under $70